{"id":3639,"date":"2024-02-19T14:29:50","date_gmt":"2024-02-19T14:29:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.firstpresvaldosta.org\/?p=3639"},"modified":"2024-02-19T14:29:50","modified_gmt":"2024-02-19T14:29:50","slug":"a-good-conscience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.firstpresvaldosta.org\/index.php\/2024\/02\/19\/a-good-conscience\/","title":{"rendered":"A Good Conscience"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Good Conscience<\/span>
\nPsalm 25:1-10 and 1 Peter 3:18-22<\/span>
\n1st Sunday of Lent<\/span>
\nJane Shelton, CRE <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is very appropriate indeed that as we begin our Season of Lent, that we are reminded by Peter of our baptism, by which we are saved.\u00a0 Peter reminds us that baptism was an early indication that we remove our ways of old, the ways of our life before we knew Christ, and start a life anew, a shedding of our soul skins as we are reminded in our words of confession.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Peter reminds us that we are washed, and made clean, not in our bodies, but in our Spirits.\u00a0 In Acts, Peter reminded the Jews that it was necessary for them to be baptized for their impurities, specifically for their contamination through the death of Jesus.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As we consider having a good conscience, I\u2019m reminded of a saying, \u201chow does he lie on his pillow at night?\u201d\u00a0 Have you all heard that phrase before?\u00a0 It is usually applied to someone who is believed to not have a good conscience, someone that has done something so egregious, that they could not possibly sleep well unless they had no conscience at all.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Our scripture is taking a good conscience a step further to indicate an appeal to God is required to cleanse our very souls.\u00a0 The appeal goes beyond body to our spiritual selves through which we communicate with God.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Paul to Timothy, and now Peter to the Israelites, understand and believe that in order to truly have a good conscience, one must have faith through baptism, a faith unfeigned.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In this term, when we appeal to God for a good conscience, we are speaking of an inward examination of ourselves, our faith, and our trust in God that he takes care of us and our every need, and saves us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If we believe this, if we trust this, our relationship with God is unwavering making it possible to have a closer and complete relationship in the presence of God every minute of every day.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We see this in the very first sentence of our first scripture reading when the Psalmist opens with the words, \u201cTo you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.\u00a0 O my God, in you I trust.\u201d\u00a0 In these words, we see the appeal to God that Peter is referring to for the shedding of a soul skin to have clear thinking, to remove any road blocks, any doubt that leads to any separation that we might cause between ourselves and God.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Psalmist pleads to the Lord to grant a good conscience when he says, \u201cmake me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.\u201d
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Having a good conscience is more than having a guilty feeling when we think we have done something wrong to someone we love.\u00a0 It is having faith that all the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness for those who keep a new covenant in Jesus Christ that provides an unwavering relationship with God.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So how do we maintain this unwavering faith, this good conscience, this total and complete faith and trust in God?\u00a0 We read scripture so we understand how God has taken care of his people over and over again, even when we abandon God, God does not abandon us.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We read scripture, we learn the parables of Jesus and a new way to walk in Christ, a new way to love our neighbors, and a new way to experience our faith.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Another way is beginning this Lenten journey in the wilderness where we can take action to delve deeper into self-reflection, and consider barriers that may stand between us and God preventing a full relationship experience.\u00a0 We can consider how we remove those barriers, how we replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I pointed out to Session a few weeks ago at our retreat that the cross of Christ represents a positive, not a negative.\u00a0 If you look at it, it is a plus.\u00a0 Once Jesus died on the cross, God gave us a positive way to respond.\u00a0 As humans, we often respond with negativity, instead of turning that thought or idea around and making it positive.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If someone has a new idea, don\u2019t discard it before you have fully examined it in the light of Christ, the positive.\u00a0 The one that shows us when we have faith, God will make great things happen.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And last, we can pray.\u00a0 Prayer is our communication through the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 It is through the Holy Spirit that we are able to discern God\u2019s direction for our lives.
\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 I don\u2019t know about you, but when I hear that we communicate with God through prayer, I don\u2019t receive clear, definitive answers, like I would when I might ask one of you a question.\u00a0 How do we know we are hearing the correct answer?\u00a0 For myself, I usually don\u2019t, and this is where faith comes into action.\u00a0 The more you step into your faith, you trust in a God that leads you and takes care of you, the easier it becomes to do it again and again.\u00a0 When you are able to see results from your faith, your walk with Christ, it becomes easier to trust and put that faith into action.
\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Like the Psalmist\u2019s prayer in our first reading, his conversation with God is in essence re-stating what he knows already, he\u2019s reminding himself of what he needs on his current journey, those things that have worked on his past journey, and those things that only God can provide.
\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Baptism symbolizes a lifetime commitment to God, a good conscience, a constant changing and updating of our soul skins, and it takes lots and lots of prayer.\u00a0 Whether that is prayer through meditation, contemplation, lighting a candle, a walking prayer, a silent prayer, a spoken prayer, or a breath prayer, which I like to call a thought prayer.\u00a0 Whatever the prayer, through every hour of the day, it is our way of being in relationship with God.
\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 A few months ago, I attended a commissioning ceremony for two of my fellow CRE classmates in Columbus.\u00a0 One of the sweet ladies of their congregation, Jean Fleisch, had written a poem for them, and I asked her if I might be able to share it with my congregation at some point, to which she kindly agreed.\u00a0 It\u2019s titled \u201cSomeone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Someone\u2019s listening to your prayers.
\n<\/span>Someone who\u2019s listening really cares.
\n<\/span>Someone hears you pray out loud.
\n<\/span>Someone hears you in a crowd.
\n<\/span>Someone hears you when you\u2019re sad.
\n<\/span>Someone hears you when you\u2019re glad.
\n<\/span>Someone hears, no matter what
\n<\/span>Again, again, and then again.
\n<\/span>That someone is our Father God.<\/span><\/p>\n

We know that He is listening.
\n<\/span>So, pray and pray and pray.
\n<\/span>Pray for your loved ones and your neighbor
\n<\/span>On this important day,
\n<\/span>Do not stop then — just keep on.
\n<\/span>Pray in the evening or at dawn.
\n<\/span>They\u2019ll feel your prayers.
\n<\/span>They\u2019ll feel your love.
\n<\/span>They\u2019ll thank the Father up above.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Through baptism, we are putting to death all within us that is opposed to Christ and being resurrected.\u00a0 We create a new conscience, a new awareness that is good, and we become committed to Christ.\u00a0 We become a positive being living up to our baptism in the family of God.
\n<\/span>Come, let us walk further in the wilderness with Jesus.<\/span><\/p>\n

(Silent Reflection)<\/span><\/p>\n

*Cover Art Unsplash+, used with subscription.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Good Conscience Psalm 25:1-10 and 1 Peter 3:18-22 1st Sunday of Lent Jane Shelton, CRE \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is very appropriate indeed that as we begin our Season of Lent, that we are reminded by Peter of our baptism, by which we are saved.\u00a0 Peter reminds us that baptism was an early indication that we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nA Good Conscience - First Presbyterian Church Valdosta<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.firstpresvaldosta.org\/index.php\/2024\/02\/19\/a-good-conscience\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Good Conscience\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A Good Conscience Psalm 25:1-10 and 1 Peter 3:18-22 1st Sunday of Lent Jane Shelton, CRE \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is very appropriate indeed that as we begin our Season of Lent, that we are reminded by Peter of our baptism, by which we are saved.\u00a0 Peter reminds us that baptism was an early indication that we […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.firstpresvaldosta.org\/index.php\/2024\/02\/19\/a-good-conscience\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"First Presbyterian Church Valdosta\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-02-19T14:29:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.firstpresvaldosta.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/baptism-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1706\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"FirstPresValdosta\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"FirstPresValdosta\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.firstpresvaldosta.org\/index.php\/2024\/02\/19\/a-good-conscience\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.firstpresvaldosta.org\/index.php\/2024\/02\/19\/a-good-conscience\/\",\"name\":\"A Good Conscience - 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